About the Book

In this Chapter

WHAT MAKES A COOKIE PERFECT? OUR TEST KITCHEN.

America’s Test Kitchen has years of experience making the very best cookies; in The Perfect Cookie, we’ve collected all of that knowledge in one place for the definitive guide to cookie baking. This comprehensive anthology includes kitchen-tested, never-fail recipes for cookie jar classics, in addition to recipes for rich and chewy brownies, fruit-and-crumble-topped bars, quick no-bake confections, holiday favorites, and even candies like truffles and caramels; they’re all included in a gorgeous package, with a full-page photo showing off every recipe. And, as only the test kitchen can, there are tips and tricks throughout the chapters, as well as an introductory section to get you started with insight on everything from what makes a cookie chewy versus crispy to what baking sheet you should buy so that your cookies bake evenly every time. The result? The perfect cookie.

We’ve included recipes for better-than-the-rest essentials like chocolate chip cookies; crowd-pleasers like cream cheese brownies; our takes on your favorites like chocolate sandwich cookies with cream filling and white chocolate raspberry bars; cookies with a touch of elegance like baci di Dama and honey-soaked baklava; Christmas cookies from gingerbread people to eggnog snickerdoodles; and cookies you thought you could get only at bakeries like anise-flavored, sprinkle-topped angeletti and cakey madeleines.

Each chapter highlights a certain style of cookie: drop; slice-and-bake; rolled, shaped, and pressed; sandwich; brownies and blondies; bars; gluten-free; and no-bake; plus, a chapter of Christmas cookies. The cookies in a given chapter all draw on similar techniques, so the skills you learn when baking one are transferable to another. Those techniques are reinforced in informative All About spreads, which include illustrated secrets to success. You'll never need to refer to another cookie cookbook again.

With The Perfect Cookie, discover foolproof recipes for cookie jar classics, recipes for irresistible rich and chewy brownies, fruit-and-crumble topped bars, fancy treats, and no-bake cookies and candies. There are tips and tricks throughout, and insight on everything from what makes a cookie crunchy vs. chewy, to equipment and ingredients that set you up for success. The result? The perfect cookie, every time.

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